Apparatus for cremating garbage



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T. MCLARK. APPARATUS POR CREMATING GARBAGE.

No. 526,516. l Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

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5 Sheets-SheetZ. T. M. CLARK. A

APPARATUS POR GRBMATING GARBAGE.

Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

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T. M. CLARK. APPARATUS POB. GRBMATING GARBAGE.

No. 526,616. Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

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A u d 0 M o m No. 526,516. Patented Sept. 25, 1894.

INVENTUR:

MVWNSEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE M. CLARK, OF NEVTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR CREMATING GARBAGE.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,516, datedSeptember 25, 1894.

Application iiled Tuly 13, 1893. Serial No. 480,389- (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE M. CLARK, of Newton, in the county ofMiddlesex `and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Oremating Garbage, of which thefollowing is a specification. y

This invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for crematinggarbage, the ob" ject being to provide for more` conveniently andeconomically disposing ot garbage, and extracting therefrom marketableproducts, such as alcohol and acetic acid, and also utilizinghydrocarbon gas disengaged fromthe garbage as fuel to supply heat forcarrying on the process.

The accompanying invention.

Figure l shows a plan of a plant constructed in accordance with theinvention. Fig. 2

drawings illustrate the `shows a vertical cross-section of the same.

Figs..3, 4 and 5 show sections on lines 33, 4-4 and 5--5 of Fig. `2.Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show detail views of the retort doors. Fig. 9 shows ahorizontal section taken below the door or roadway and above thecondensing pipes and tanks. Fig. 10 shows a vertical section on anenlarged scale, of parts appearing in Fig. 2. Fig. 11 shows a horizontalsection on an enlarged scale, of parts appearing in Fig. 5.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

The plant here shown consists of a set of eight sector-shaped retorts a,placed around a central chimney b, and surrounded by a sunk passage-wayc. The passage-way is covered either by tile arching or a platform ofplanks, which forms a circular road-way c around the retorts. Over thisroad-way, the garbage-carts travel, dumping their loads directly intotheretorts designated by the attendant, and mov` ingaway immediately. Eachretortis designed to hold ten loads. The hatchways of the retorts haveiron doors cl,so`hinged that, when open, they stand at an angle on eachside,

and are supported by brackets d', as shown in Fig. 8, presenting a spacewide enough to catchall the garbage fromthe most careless dumping; and,on closing them, everything is thrown into the retort. The doors fitcloselyin l rabbeted iron frames, and are rabbeted where they meet, anda powerful lever fastening d2 makes all the joints tight. Vhile deliveryis going on above, the Work of attending iires, cleaning tlues, shiftingdampers, removing charcoal, and drawing o the liquids in the tanks,takes place in the passage-way below, which is reached by two flights ofsteps c2 on opposite sides, outside the cart-way. The whole is shelteredby a light structure e of corrugated iron.

Below each retort is a fire-box or combustion-chamber f, having a gratef over its bottom, and below the grate is an ash-pit f2. Communicationmay be had withthe retorts, combustion-chambers andash-pits from thepassage-way c, through doors arranged as a furnace-front.

Tanks g are built in the sunk passage-way, and are for receivingdistilled products of the garbage. Pipes h connect the retortsseparately with a common circular pipe h', from `which pipes h2 extendto condensingpipes h3 on the exterior. These condensing pipescommunicate with the tanks g. The pipes are suitably valved, for thepurpose of cutting o communication between them and the retorts or anyof them. Other pipes c' connect the retorts severally with a common icircular" pipe i', and pipes 2, communicating with` the flatter, extendto the ash-pits f2, where they divide into perforated tubes formingburners is along the opposite sides of the ash-pits, as shown in Fig.1 1. p

The retorts comprise four sections, and for convenience the retorts arenumbered from l to 8 in Fig. 5, and l Nos. l and 2, 3 and 4.-, 5 and` 6,and 7 and 8 form the sections. A chamber j extends over the inner sideof each section between the same and the chimney;` and ports j providecommunication between the chambers and the fire-box, said ports beingclosed by valves jf. There is one ofthese ports for each retort, and thechambers j are separated fromeach other. A circuitous tiue 7c passesaround the chambers j between each two retorts. Directly opposite eachpoint ofcommunication of the said due with these chambers, a port loextends from the chamber into the chimney-flue. A valve k2 is tted ineach radial branch of the flue 7c and is adapted to either closecommunication between4 the flue and the chamber jor between the latterand the chimney.l These IOO \. tending into the passage-way c,whe'rethey vss are provided with handles. Each alternate valve k2 is ofsufficientlength to extend completely across the chamber j when drawnback to a certain position.

Inspecting the plant at any given moment, a tire is found burning underone of the retorts only, say No. l, the contentsiof which are at atemperature of about 1,000". The gases from the heated grease are nearlydriven off and are passing to the. gas-tubes under the grates, wherethey are mixed with air and burning strongly. The heated products ofcombustion from the burning gas pass from the fire-box through the portj', the valve of whichis lifted, and into the chamber j and iiue-c,through which they circulate, as shown by the arrows, around all theretorts in succession, the valves 7a2 closing communication with thechimney, except at retort No. 8, where the valve is drawn back and openscommunication at this point with the chimney, while it closescommunication between the flue andthe chamber j.`

Thus the products of combustion, unable to go backward or to find anynearer outlet, are compelled to make the full circuit of the retortsbefore escaping. The second retort, receiving the heat with littlediminution, is` at ya temperature of perhaps 800. The charge or garbagein it is rapidly disengaging inammable gases, which are collected andjoined with those from No. l to supply the Iire under No. l. In thethird retort, the temperature is still lower, and so on until the lastisreached,which is nearly cool. From this the charcoal residue has beenremoved, and it is ready to receive fresh garbage. By the time it isfilled, the contents of No. l are thor.

oughly roasted, and production of gas from them has ceased. The valve ofthe port j at this retort is then dropped, by means of a rod extendingthrough the domed top; the valve of the next port j is raised; the valve7a2 between retorts Nos. l and 2 is drawn back, so as to cut offcommunication between the port j and the chimney; to No. 2. The productsof combustion circulate as before, but froma starting-point one retortin advance. Retort No. 1, being now the last one reached by the heat,soon cools..

Its charred contents are then raked out into barrows, leaving it readyto receive the nextv ten loads of garbage. This process is repeatedcontinuously, the fire beingv constantly shiftedaround the circle.

The chimney brick next the ilues. The lire-boxes are lined withfire-brick, and covered with a tlat archi of {ire-clay tiles, whichforms the bottom of" the retorts. VThe walls of the retorts are of;fire-brick, and the top is formed by a double` dome of flat tiles,forming anair-space.A All the tileA arches and domes are laid inIPortand the gas fire is shifted the waste heat, leaving is of commonbrick, with fireland cement, except the joints exposed to lire, whichare of fire-clay.

The plant is arranged so that all the valu able parts of the garbagemay, if found profitable, be utilized. At a temperature of 190, which isabout that of the last retort, alcohol, of which fermenting garbagecontainsa large quantity, distills over, and is led through thevapor-pipes h h h2 h3 to one of the condensing-tanks g, from which itmay be afterward drawn for purification or sold directly to rectiiiers.When the temperature reaches 240, which willbe at theshifting of theiire, the alcohol will have been entirely vaporized, and acetic acidwill begin to pass over, mixed with steam. This'is condensed intoanother tank, for sale or for treatment with lime. As soon as the steamceases to contain alcoholor acetic acid in paying quantities, it isturned the condensed liquid, after cooling, is discharged into the sewerthrough a pipe m. The greasy solids remaining, being decomposed byfurther heating, furnish the gas for burning in the furnaces; leaving aiinal residue of animal and vegetable charcoal, rich in phosphates andpotash, which will be valuable as a fertilizer.

The tanks g are divided into compartments of proper relativecapacity,and the vaporpipes are provided with valves whereby thedistillate may be directed as desired.l

Attention may be called to the following points of superiority in thisform of disposal plant:

All garbage is dumped at once into `the retorts, and hermeticallysealed. There -is no temporary storage, even-though a whole days supplymay be delivered at once, and no rehandling. Sterilization takes placeimmediately, and. the contents of the retorts are not again exposed tothe air until thec'harred resi due is raked out.

The action of the retorts is continuous. The fires never go out, nightor day, but the process may be made rapid or slow, to suit varyingconditions of delivery.

The vapors and gases from the retorts'are never allowed at any time to.escape into the open air, even through the chimney, the condensiblevapors being all condensed in closed tanks, and the other gases burnedin the furnaces.

The consumption of fuel is very small. The water from the garbage isevaporated by a residue of grease and d ry animal and vegetable matter,which, when further heated, produces an immense quantity of hydrocarbongas, unmixed with steam, and probably sufficient to supply nearly if notquite all the fuel required after the first fewhundredpounds of coalusedto start the process.

Thelabor cost is reduced is `no shoveling of garbage, benzine,

greatly. There no treatment with no picking out of tin cans, and, afterIIO coal or removal of ashes; the handling consisting simply in openingand shutting the retort doors on the delivery of the loads, shifting thevalves and dampers, and raking out the charcoal from the cool sections.

It is evident that the apparatus is susceptible of modification in manyways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isy l. A crematory, comprising in itsconstructiona plurality of retorts for containing the matter undertreatment, combustion-chambers below the retort-s and separated fromeach other,a due extending around the sides of the retorts, valved portsfor communication between said flue and the combustionchambers, achimney, and valved ports for communication between the said chimney andthe flue, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A crematory, comprising in its construction a plurality of :retortsfor containing the matter under treatment, combustion-chambers below theretorts and separated from each other, a iiue extending around the sidesof the retorts, valved ports for communication between said ue and thecombustionchambers, a chimney, valved ports for cornmunicationbetweenthe said chimney and the flue, and pipes forming communication betweenthe retorts and the combustion-chambers and adapted to conveyhydrocarbon gas liberated from the matter under treatment to thecombustion-chambers, all arranged substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3.- A crematory, comprising in its construction a circular series ofretorts, combustionchambers below the same, a sunk passageway around thecombustion-chambers, and a covering over said passage-way andconstituting a road-way for vehicles delivering matter to the retorts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of July, A. D.1893.

THEODORE M. CLARK.

Witnesses: p

A. D. HARRISON, F. PARKER DAVIS.

